1102 Macías, & Regalado Ortega, 2012). In the case of Peru, to date, there are no suitable centers in the areas with the highest mining activity to store and maintain assets, such as mining infrastructure, equipment, industrial plants, etc., which were used in mining throughout the country's history and can be considered industrial archaeological heritage to be valued by the surrounding community (Cañizares Ruiz, 2011). Many of these "assets" in this country are located in different places within the properties of various private companies, the state, and communities that, due to their age and poor condition, are considering them in their mine closure or liability plans and are likely to be closed and/or demolished. However, with state promotion and an adequate legal framework, a good percentage of them could be considered mining "archaeology" and converted into theme parks and/or mining museums (Cenzano, 2007). Against this background, this study focuses on the potential incorporation of mining tourism into mine closure and post-closure strategies in Peru. Rather than proposing tourism as a substitute for remediation or closure obligations, the paper examines under what technical, legal, institutional, and social conditions certain mining components could be preserved, adapted, and managed as cultural, educational, and economic assets. This approach seeks to contribute to the discussion on responsible mine closure by highlighting the possible post-mining value of selected infrastructure, provided that safety, environmental stability, and community participation are ensured. 2. THE CONVERSION OF MINES: A PARADIGM SHIFT 2.1. From Liabilities to Assets: Fundamentals of Post-Mining Conversion The repurposing of mining facilities is a significant option for post-extraction management, as it allows for the restoration, rehabilitation, and enhancement of certain mining components for tourism, educational, cultural, and economic purposes. This approach is particularly applicable to old mines, disused facilities, or mining environmental liabilities which, after meeting minimum safety and remediation requirements, can be transformed into spaces for historical interpretation, industrial heritage, and regional development (Exploraciones Mineras del Cantábrico, 2021). This heritage encompasses both the “productive space,” which includes galleries or tunnels, open pits, headframe, machinery, and production workshops, and the “reproductive space,” consisting of camps, hospitals, and other infrastructure related to the life of the mining community (Cueto Alonso, 2016). For this reason, the conversion effort is not limited to preserving isolated structures, but rather seeks to reinterpret a cultural landscape linked to a region’s economic, social, and technological history. From an economic perspective, this process can help transform disused mining facilities into assets capable of creating jobs, attracting visitors, revitalizing local services, and diversifying economies that depend on mining (SRK, n.d.). From a social perspective, this can open up new opportunities for former miners and nearby communities, who can work as guides, cultural managers, or tour operators. However, such a transformation requires first addressing the risks associated with soil and water contamination, physical instability, geotechnical issues, and the presence of mining operations lacking adequate safety measures. In this regard, post-mining redevelopment represents a paradigm shift: moving from an approach focused solely on the closure, decommissioning, or demolition of facilities to one that explores the possibility of preserving, adapting, and reusing certain elements of cultural, educational, or economic value, provided that this is compatible with safety, human health, and environmental protection. 2.2. Strategic Planning: A Long-Term Integrated Process The successful implementation of a project based on this new vision requires strategic planning that extends beyond the final stage of operations. Closure should be viewed as a progressive process, integrated
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